Arion's Archaic Art

March 7, 2018

It is very rare to find superhero comics that cross the feeble barrier that divides entertainment from art; and when I find a title that does, I feel incredibly fortunate. Tom King’s Vision is certainly art and is also a magnificent example of what can be done with superheroes. Thanks to a clever, flawless narrative, King describes humanity through the perspective of the Vision, a synthezoid who decides to act and live as a human being. “I am the Vision of the Avengers. I have saved this planet thirty-seven times”, explains the protagonist. What makes him a hero, however, is not his superpower, or his Avengers membership, but rather his stoic efforts toward being humanized. In his search for humanity, this android proves how inhuman the rest of the world can be, and how truly valuable impossible dreams are.

Mike Del Mundo

Considered as “A comic-book masterpiece” by the New York Times and winner of the Eisner Award, The Vision was released in 2016. And in 12 extraordinary issues, Tom King creates an entire new life for the synthezoid hero. The Vision has decided to be as human as possible, and for that reason he designs and builds that which he cannot create naturally: a family. A robotic wife, named Virginia, and two children, named Viv and Vin; he programs them in such a way that they can learn and act freely, and these new androids start acting like real people, Virginia acts the way a wife would, and Viv and Vin start questioning everything and experimenting in ways only teenagers would.

Mike Del Mundo

The Visions move to a peaceful suburb, 15 miles west of Washington DC. Vision’s neighbors are described as people who arrived to Washington when they were young, when they were political activists full of ideas and dreams, people who wanted to change the world and who, in the end, gave up all those dreams to embrace reality, to settle down, to get married and have kids: “With bills to pay, they left their small government jobs; they became lobbyists and lawyers and managers. They moved out to the suburbs for the schools. They made the compromises that are necessary to raise a family”. The Visions will also have to learn how to make those compromises, and it’s especially fascinating to observe how, in this perfect neighborhood, a terrible tragedy starts to unfold the moment they set foot on it.

Marco D'Alfonso

The Visions will face a unique kind of discrimination. They are not humans, after all. They are machines. But they’re programmed to think and react like humans, and when the men and women around them reject them that causes emotional pain, and inevitably it also causes a special connection between the Visions and the readers. In King’s series, there are only a few minor glimpses of Vision’s superhero facet. This is not a story about heroes and villains, this is a story about relationships, about humans, about the way we interact with people and especially the way we help or hurt those who are closest to us.

Mike Del Mundo

Every issue written by King presents a meaningful dilemma that this peculiar family must face. For Vin, the teenaged son, the most urgent question is what it means to be normal and how to adapt to high school (questions he tries to answer by compulsively reading William Shakespeare’s plays); for Virginia, however, the greatest concern is how to conceal the fact that she has accidentally killed the man who attacked his daughter Viv. As the story progresses, we see how Virginia is blackmailed by a man who has evidence of her transgression, which in the end is not killing in self-defense but rather lying to her husband and trying to get rid of the body.

Mike Del Mundo

“With The Vision we have a multilayered story, tightly told from beginning to end, that plays with the form, foreshadows the future, examines the characters in a focused fashion and goes places the audience could never expect, with remarkable skill”, affirms Rich Johnston. And I completely agree with him. From the very beginning, King balances different times, different points of view and tells a story that goes from the past, to the present and the future, and then from the future, to the present and to the past. This is a complex and ambitious narrative unlike anything else published by Marvel or DC in recent years. There is an astonishing sense of symmetry that can only be compared with Alan Moore’s magnum opus, which is why I think Johnston makes that comparison by stating that “The Vision by Tom King, Gabriel Hernandez Walta and Jordie Bellaire is Marvel’s Watchmen”.

Mike Del Mundo

King answers questions that no other writer had ever dared to pay attention to. For instance, the subtle and yet intense exploration of sexuality becomes even more captivating thanks to the fact that Vision and Virginia are not human, and yet they wish to be human, and if sex and eroticism is a basic element of what makes us human, how can they not try to experience all of that? Finding a romantic connection will also be Viv’s strongest desire, and when she finds that in C.K., a boy who doesn’t discriminate her for being an android, life changes for her. Suddenly, becoming human seems to be within her reach. Because if she can be loved by a human being then that means she’s no longer a machine. But things are never easy for the Visions. And after Virginia confronts the man who has been blackmailing her, she also finds herself involved in the accidental death of C.K., the only boy at school who accepted Viv for what she was.

A unique family / una familia única

What was supposed to be an idyllic life in the suburbs, is slowly turning out to be a nightmare. Plagued by guilt and remorse, Virginia starts withdrawing from the others, and her relationship with Vision falls apart. “Vision thought he could make a family. A happy, normal family. It was merely a matter of calculation. The right formula, shortcut, algorithm”. But Vision’s conception was erroneous because there is no such thing as a happy family, there are always conflicts, dramas, laughter and tears, fights and reconciliations, good and bad memories. And in this process, Vision understands that what makes us human is not perfection or pure happiness, but rather our ability to overcome unhappiness and to keep on fighting even when there seems to be no hope at all: “every day all men and women make this same choice. To go on even though they cannot possibly go on”, explains Vision.King not only takes us into Vision’s past, with some wonderful flashbacks of his relationship with the Scarlet Witch, but also rescues such memorable characters like Victor Mancha (who was created by Brian K Vaughan in the pages of Runaways, another splendid Marvel series that I should review one day). Victor Mancha is an android designed to blend in with humans, and as he spends a few weeks with the Visions, he becomes a member of the family, until another tragic accident takes place: the death of Vin. King describes Victor as an android capable of developing an addiction, and it is this addiction that makes him lose control over his powers thus annihilating Vision’s son. This is the most heartbreaking moment of the series. Vin’s death will destroy Virginia’s last remains of sanity, and will make Vision question his most fundamental beliefs. Is Victor really responsible for Vin’s death? Or is Victor’s addiction the only reason why this accident happened?

High school is never easy / la secundaria nunca es fácil

King constantly quotes William Shakespeare from the beginning of the series, and much like in the plays of the immortal playwright, there is always more than one tragic death. After Vision makes the decision to kill Victor to avenge his son’s death, Virginia decides to kill Victor first and thus prevent her husband from becoming a murderer. “You… saved the world… thirty-seven times. I saved… it… once”, whispers Virginia. Of course, this is also a very special book thanks to the wonderful covers by Mike Del Mundo (a very talented artist who creates a sort of ironic Norman Rockwell painting in which the American suburb is anything but harmless). And I should also talk about Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s magnificent art (which is always tremendously expressive and elegant) and Jordie Bellaire’s beautiful coloring (every detail has been planned in advance, and so in the first issues the Visions arrive to their new home during autumn and there is a warm orange tone that is always present, and in subsequent issues, the main tones are colder, bluer, announcing the loss of warmth and also the coldness of death). For this and many other reasons I chose The Vision as the best ongoing series and Tom King as the best writer in the 2016 Arion’s Achievement Awards. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Es muy inusual encontrar cómics de superhéroes que crucen la delicada barrera que divide al entretenimiento del arte; y cuando encuentro un título que lo logra, me siento increíblemente afortunado. Vision de Tom King es ciertamente arte y es también un magnífico ejemplo de lo que se puede lograr con los superhéroes. Gracias a una narración ingeniosa e impecable, King describe la humanidad desde la perspectiva de Vision, un sintezoide que decide actuar y vivir como un ser humano. “Soy la Visión de los Vengadores. He salvado este planeta treinta y siete veces”, explica el protagonista. Lo que lo convierte en un héroe, sin embargo, no es su superpoder, o su membresía de los Vengadores, sino más bien sus esfuerzos estoicos para humanizarse. En su búsqueda por alcanzar esa humanidad, este Android demuestra cuán inhumano puede ser el resto del mundo y cuán valiosos son los sueños imposibles.

March 1, 2018

In the shortest month of the year I only had time for one movie: Daniel Espinosa’s Life (2017). Combining horror and science fiction often leads to amazing results. I particularly enjoyed the way the suspense builds up in Life, as 6 astronauts experiment with a microorganism from Mars; slowly but surely, this new lifeform becomes a dangerous creature. There are some really intense sequences that will keep everyone at the edge of their seats; previous to the confrontation against the creature, the director introduces a group of compelling characters, played by Jake Gyllenhaal (Demolition), Ryan Reynolds (Woman in Gold), Rebecca Ferguson, Hiroyuki Sanada, Olga Dykhovichnaya and Ariyon Bakare.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

February 23, 2018

What is the purpose of art? Is it to reflect our reality, like a mirror, or rather to delve deep down into our consciousness, thus bringing to life our innermost secrets and desires? Perhaps it is a combination of both; and Providence certainly proves how the literary influence of H.P. Lovecraft and the brilliant mind of Alan Moore can produce, in unison, a haunting and captivating horror masterpiece. In “The Picture” (originally published in Providence # 7, January 2016), a disturbed Robert Black arrives to Boston, only to find himself stuck in a nightmarish scenario: people have taken the streets, there is looting and fighting, some men rape women while others concentrate their energies in diverse acts of vandalism.

In Providence’s first volume we saw how regular people is usually blind to the cosmic horrors. The real darkness, the real monstrosity, can never be found on the surface. Intrigued by his recent experiences, Robert Black tracks down Mr. Pitman, a successful photographer and also an artist in his own right, specialized in cannibalistic monsters that chase humans in grotesque and savage underground sequences. For Black, this is the fruit of a feverish imagination, but for Mr. Pitman this is merely an objective representation of what really goes on in the world beneath us. There is a very intense moment that takes place when Black is confronted with the presence of one of the demons Mr. Pitman is so keen on illustrating. Once again, the limits between reality and fiction, perception and interpretation, dream and nightmare are blurred.

In “The Key” (Providence # 8, March 2016), Robert Black understands the true complexity of the oneiric realm, thanks to the assistance provided by Randall Carver, a writer specialized in fantasy and occultism. Carver’s 700 steps into deep slumber proves to be fundamental for Robert’s astral journey. Moore intertwines the fantastic short stories written by Carver with the ‘real life’ conversation and then with the dreamlike state achieved by the 700 steps technique. In a clever way, Moore introduces dialogues from the waking world into the literary works of fiction, establishing a strange but also strong connection between reality and fantasy.

This particular chapter is also a dream come true in many ways. Not only because the dream Robert has is more vivid than anything else, but also because Robert’s greatest wish is finally granted. During a cultural soiree hosted by Lord Dunsany (Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, the 18th Baron of Dunsany, considered in real life as one of the finest Irish fantasy writers), Robert Black finally meets his most admired author: a young H.P. Lovecraft. As most readers, I’m familiar only with the literary works of both Dunsany and Lovecraft, but I have no idea how they acted in public or how they conducted their normal, everyday affairs. Nevertheless, thanks to Moore’s outstanding narrative skills, we can read about this meeting of writers and believe every word of it. The fact that no biographical account supports this scene is meaningless, because in the hands of Moore, this peculiar encounter becomes more real than any historical fact. As Robert Black so aptly sums it up: “When I talked to Lovecraft I felt utterly convinced that I had somehow found my first writer of genius”, and it’s then when he understands what is his “one true and certain destination”: Providence, Rhode Island. Lovecraft’s hometown. “Outsiders” (Providence # 9, May 2016) is an intense chapter that revolves around Robert’s Black first day in Providence. The protagonist meets Howard Charles, a 17-year old boy who gives him a tour around the town’s old houses and abandoned churches. There is an obvious attraction between them, but it is handled with subtlety.In St. John’s Church, Robert and Howard find the ancient relics of the Stella Sapiente, a secret society interested in occultism. Dusty and old volumes, a meteorite carved as a precious gem and other unholy items awaken something in the protagonist. And as soon as his young companion suggests a game of ‘cornholing’, Black agrees. This is a very erotic and powerful scene, not only in narrative terms but also graphically (Jacen Burows splendidly conveys the passion and the arousal of the couple).

Robert Black and H.P. Lovecraft meet again in “The Haunted Palace” (Providence # 10, June 2016). Black feels captivated by Lovecraft’s short stories, and he’s sure that this young and unknown writer will revolutionize American literature: “it seems that words and books, demonstrably, can change our world by changing our perception of it; can precipitate it to another state entirely”, explains Black. That is, precisely, the power of literature and art in general.

Boston

In “The Unnamable” (Providence # 11, November 2016) and “The Book” (Providence # 12, March 2017) all the plotlines converge, matching the uncertainty of Robert Black with the dire outcome announced in Neonomicon. Moore goes from the early 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century, showing us the effects of H.P Lovecraft’s fantasies and the inevitable arrival of Yuggoth.

February 6, 2018

I started 2018 with a fine selection of comic books! For instance, the extraordinary HC edition of The Vision (which I’ll definitely be reviewing soon). Busiek’s Batman Creature of the Night continues to be very good. Of course it’d be impossible not to have fun with Thor, X-Men, Cinema Purgatorio and Diablo House. But I must say my favorite issue of the month was The Further Adventures of Nick Wilson # 1. And now without further ado here are January’s comics as per solicitations: ASTONISHING X-MEN #7(W) Charles Soule (A/CA) Ramon K. Perez. A MAN CALLED X Part 1 CHARLES XAVIER has a plan. He's going to save the world...whether you want it or not. Act II of the ASTONISHING X-MEN saga begins here, as a long-lost mutant returns to the world of the X-Men, Fantomex offers a kiss and Bishop discovers the Mindkiller. Rated T+

BATMAN CREATURE OF THE NIGHT #2(W) Kurt Busiek (A/CA) John Paul Leon. In a world where Batman is only a comic book character, young Bruce Wainwright is starting to feel a surprising strength and power grow inside him...and after years of mourning the loss of his parents, that power feels good--intoxicating, even! The question is, to what use will he put it? RATED T+BSG VS BSG #1 At last! The epic story you've been dying to see is here, a galaxy and timeline-spanning saga bringing the two very different (and yet so very much alike) crews of the Battlestar Galacticas series together. But don't expect this historic meeting of heroes to be friendly: they have no idea why they have been brought together, or what the result of this unprecedented meeting is. And it starts here as the legendary Commander Cain and the crew of the Pegasus are revealed to be alive, and have encountered an individual they never thought they would meet: the last Cylon. All this has happened before, but there will NEVER be anything like it again!

CINEMA PURGATORIO #13 (W) Alan Moore & Various (A) Kevin O'Neil & Various (CA) Gabriel Andrade. t's the USA vs Russia Monster Battle in The Vast! A More Perfect Union sees the relentless march of the insects present all-new concerns for the overwhelmed Army. In Code Pru, there appears to be a dinosaur in the city. Everyone's secrets are revealed while Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill weave another tale in the tapestry of cinematic history. The finest anthology in comics today continues. Join a master class of sequential artisans as they spin stories to terrify and delight. Now showing: Cinema Purgatorio by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill, A More Perfect Union by Max Brooks and Gabriel Andrade, Code Pru by Garth Ennis and Raulo Caceres, Modded by Kieron Gillen and Nahuel Lopez, and The Vast by Christos Gage and Gabriel Andrade. Each story has its own cover by the series artist and there is also an Ancient Tome Premium edition limited to 1000 copies.DIABLO HOUSE #3(W) Ted Adams (A/CA) Santiperez. Grease monkeys and race junkies, start your engines! Two friends battle it out in the San Diego racing scene to become #1! A trip to Diablo House gives one racer an advantage… but everything has a cost! Bullet points: o Inspired by classic horror comics of the past! o Written by IDW CEO, and co-founder, Ted Adams and illustrated by Spanish newcomer, Santipérez!FURTHER ADVENTURES OF NICK WILSON #1 (W) Eddie Gorodetsky, Marc Andreyko (A) Steve Sadowski (CA) Pete Woods. From Eisner and Emmy-winning writers! For a few years in his early 20s, Nick Wilson had super powers and all the acclaim associated with them. When those powers vanished, so did his fame, sending him from national hero to late-night punchline. By the time we pick up his story, he is not yet 30 and barely an answer in a trivia contest. Faced with a life in a rear-view mirror full of lost powers, faded glory, former enemies, ex-girlfriends, and forgotten grudges, Nick struggles to figure out who he is today. Packing on an extra 20 pounds and peering through a medicinal marijuana haze, he is trying to build a future when all that's left is just a man who hasn't been super for a very long time. These are THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF NICK WILSON.MIGHTY THOR #703(W) Jason Aaron (A/CA) Russell Dauterman. THE DEATH OF THE MIGHTY THOR Part 4 • The Mangog has come to Asgardia. But as every god assembles to meet him, there is one noticeable absence. • Where is Thor? Where is Jane Foster? • Without their mightiest hero, who among the Asgardians can face the wrath of a billion murdered beings--and survive? Rated T+VISION DIRECTOR'S CUT HC One of the most celebrated comic books of the century, collected in full at last! Vision wants to be human, and what's more human than family? So he heads back to the beginning - to the laboratory where Ultron created him as a weapon. The place where he first rebelled against his given destiny and imagined that he could be more - that he could be a man. There, he builds them. A wife, Virginia. Teenage twins, Viv and Vin. They look like him. They have his powers. They share his grandest ambition - or is that obsession? - the unrelenting need to be ordinary. Behold the Visions! Theirs is a story of togetherness and tragedy - one that will send the Android Avenger into a devastating confrontation with Earth's Mightiest Heroes.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________¡Empecé el 2018 con una estupenda selección de cómics! Por ejemplo, el extraordinario tomo de The Vision (que reseñaré pronto). Batman Creature of the Night de Busiek sigue estando muy bien. Por supuesto, sería imposible no disfrutar títulos como Thor, X-Men, Cinema Purgatorio y Diablo House. Pero debo decir que mi cómic favorito del mes fue The Further Adventures of Nick Wilson # 1. Y ahora sin mayores preámbulos aquí están los cómics de enero:ASTONISHING X-MEN #7Él va a salvar el mundo ... lo quieras o no. El segundo acto de la saga comienza aquí, cuando un mutante hace mucho tiempo perdido regresa al mundo de los X-Men.

February 4, 2018

In January I was hoping to watch a few movies but in the end I only had time for one: Vacation (2015), written and directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. This was quite an enjoyable comedy that makes a reference (and pays homage) to the Griswold vacation saga, while at the same time presenting an interesting take on contemporary families and the way we spend our free time. Vacation was good enough to make me laugh, and the cast was spot on: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate and Skyler Gisondo. One of my favorite scenes was the one with Chris Hemsworth in it.

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Arcadio

Comic books are my passion. They are as precious to me as the oxygen I breathe, and perhaps even more. The 9th art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. And through the years, this passion kept on increasing, thus turning me into an active participant. I started as a reader and later on I became a full-fledged writer and artist. Indeed I’ve found the perfect way to have twice as much pleasure when it comes to comics: I can either read them or write and draw them. And I absolutely love doing both!